History of the Department

The Department of Health was established in 1921 and has since undergone a number of changes in its name function and structure. The changes are briefly outlined below, including name changes, Health Ministers and Heads of Department.

Background

The Department of Health was established in 1921 and has since undergone a number of changes in its name, function and structure.

The first change was in 1987 when the Department of Health was merged with the Department of Community Services to form the Department of Community Services and Health.

The Department of Health, Housing and Community Services was then formed in June 1991, reflecting the transfer of housing industry programs from the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce to the Department of Community Services and Health.

In March 1993 the Department of Local Government joined with the Department of Health, Housing and Community Services to form the Department of Health, Housing, Local Government and Community Services. Subsequently, in 1994, the Department's name was changed to the Department of Human Services and Health.

When a new government was elected in March 1996, the department's name changed to the Department of Health and Family Services. At this time, it gained responsibility for the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program from the former Department of Housing and Regional Development.

The department later assumed responsibility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health matters from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.

After the October 1998 election, the department's name changed to the Department of Health and Aged Care to reflect its new responsibilities and functions. Responsibility for Family and Children's Services, Disability Programs and the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service were transferred to the Department of Family and Community Services on 22 October 1998.

Following the November 2001 election, Department of Health and Aged Care became the Department of Health and Ageing. The portfolio also gained the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service from the Department of Family and Community Services.

Following the September 2013 election, it became the Department of Health. The administration of ageing research, active ageing policy other than employment, and aged care services transferred to the Department of Social Services. In addition, the administration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy, programs and service delivery transferred to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. The portfolio gained responsibility for sport and recreation policy.

Summary of name changes

September 2013 -
Department of Health

November 2001 - September 2013
Department of Health and Ageing

October 1998 - November 2001
Department of Health and Aged Care

March 1996 - October 1998
Department of Health and Family Services

March 1994 - March 1996
Department of Human Services and Health

March 1993 - March 1994
Department of Health, Housing, Local Government and Community Services

June 1991 - March 1993
Department of Health, Housing and Community Services

July 1987 - June 1991
Department of Community Services and Health

March 1921 - July 1987
Department of Health

Health Ministers

24/1/17 -
Greg Hunt

23/12/2014 - 13/1/2017
Sussan Ley

18/09/2013 - 23/12/2014
Peter Dutton

14/12/2011 - 18/09/2013
Tanya Plibersek

03/12/2007 - 14/12/2011
Nicola Roxon

07/10/2003 - 03/12/2007
Tony Abbott

27/11/2001 - 6/10/2003
Kay Christine Lesley Patterson

11/03/1996 - 11/11/2001
Michael Richard Lewis Wooldridge

25/03/1994 - 11/03/1996
Carmen Mary Lawrence

24/03/1993 - 25/03/1994
Graham Frederick Richardson

04/04/1990 - 24/03/1993
Brian Leslie Howe, AM

11/03/1983 - 04/04/1990
Neal Blewett, AC

07/05/1982 - 11/03/1983
James Joseph Carlton, AO

20/04/1982 - 07/05/1982
Peter Erne Baume, AO

08/12/1979 - 20/04/1982
Michael John Randal MacKellar

12/12/1975 - 08/12/1979
Ralph James Dunnet Hunt, AO

11/11/1975 - 12/12/1975
Donald Leslie Chipp, AO

19/12/1972 - 11/11/1975
Douglas Nixon Everingham

05/12/1972 - 19/12/1972
Lance Herbert Barnard, AO

02/08/1971 - 05/12/1972
Sir Kenneth McColl Anderson

22/03/1971 - 02/08/1971
Ivor John Greenwood

26/01/1966 - 22/03/1971
Alexander James Forbes

21/11/1964 - 26/01/1966
Sir Reginald William Colin Swartz

22/12/1961 - 18/11/1964
Harrie Walter Wade

11/01/1956 - 22/12/1961
Donald Alastair Cameron

19/12/1949 - 11/01/1956
Sir Earle Christmas Grafton Page

18/06/1946 - 19/12/1949
Nicholas Edward McKenna

21/09/1943 - 18/06/1946
James Mackintosh Fraser

07/10/1941 - 21/09/1943
Edward James Holloway

28/10/1940 - 07/10/1941
Sir Frederick Harold Stewart

14/03/1940 - 28/10/1940
Harold Victor Campbell Thorby

26/04/1939 - 14/03/1940
Sir Frederick Harold Stewart

07/11/1938 - 26/04/1939
Hattil Spencer Foll

29/11/1937 - 07/11/1938
Sir Earle Christmas Grafton Page

26/02/1936 - 29/11/1937
William Morris Hughes

08/11/1935 - 26/02/1936
Joseph Aloysius Lyons

12/10/1934 - 06/11/1935
William Morris Hughes

06/01/1932 - 12/10/1934
Sir Charles Williams Clanan Marr

03/03/1931 - 06/01/1932
John McNeill

22/10/1929 - 03/03/1931
Frank Anstey

24/02/1928 - 22/10/1929
Sir Neville Reginald Howse, VC

02/04/1927 - 24/02/1928
Stanley Melbourne Bruce

16/01/1925 - 02/04/1927
Sir Neville Reginald Howse, VC

13/06/1924 - 16/01/1925
Herbert Edward Pratten

29/05/1924 - 13/06/1924
Sir Littleton Ernest Groom

09/02/1923 - 26/05/1924
Sir Austin Chapman

10/03/1921 - 05/02/1923
Sir Walter Massey-Green

Other Ministries (relating to the Department's responsibilities at the time)

'Putting Life into Years' - The Commonwealth's role in Australia's health since 1901

Putting Life into Years tells the story of the Commonwealth's involvement in the health of the nation, from modest beginning in 1901 to today. It moves through each decade of the 20th century, highlighting major events in health and placing them in the broader context of Australia's first century as a nation.

The book is aimed at the general reader. It draws on departmental material, archival as well as current, secondary sources and interviews. For those who wish to delve further into the subject there is an annotated bibliography written by leading public health academics, Dr Neville Hicks, Dr Judith Raftery and Jane Harford, of the University of Adelaide.

The department commissioned Francesca Beddie to write the book. Ms Beddie is a generalist historian, who also has fifteen years experience as a Commonwealth public servant. The project was overseen by an editorial board chaired by Departmental Secretary, Mr Andrew Podger. Dr Hicks and Dr Raftery from the University of Adelaide acted as academic advisers.

Chapters one to nine trace the decades of the twentieth century and a closing chapter takes a look into the future. The reader will also find boxes throughout the text. These can be read in the context of the narrative or on their own. Some deal with specific diseases, others give biographical information or chart the development or certain institutions. There is a timeline at the bottom of the text that marks other significant events in Australia's political and social history.

This is not an institutional history, although the Department of Health is a central character. The book sets out and analyses the development of what is today a national health system delivering high quality health care to most of the population. It also gives the reader some insight into the policy-making process and the mindsets of those within the bureaucracy and political life, as well as in the health profession, who were involved in the establishment of the system.

The reader will encounter a number of recurring themes in the book: Australia's federal structure; the mixture of public and private in the delivery of health services; the manner of financing the system; the state's role in public or population health; the influence of technology; and the rise of the informed consumer.

The story of health in twentieth-century Australia is a positive one. Advances in science and in the health-care system have substantially increased the chances that Australians will live out the natural span of human being's life. In 1900, life expectancy for men was 52; 55 for women. By 1996, the figures were 74 for men and 81 for women.

However, there are also unresolved health problems. Life expectancy for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population remains at the 1900 level for other Australians. Putting Life into Years examines some of the reasons for the long neglect of Indigenous health, in particular the racist views which prevailed at the beginning of the twentieth century, and the lack of a national approach to Indigenous Health matters until the seventies.

The final chapter raises some issues for the new century. It cautions against complacency in the face of the remarkable technological achievements of the past fifty years or so. For while the threat of bubonic plague, which opened the twentieth century, may be gone, there are new epidemics to contend with. And while science is making extraordinary discoveries that may prolong life and even create it, it is still up to human beings to ensure that such discoveries are handled in a humane and ethical way.

The layout of the book is designed to illustrate the dynamism of the story and to put a face to some of the public servants and other characters who have been integral to the development of our national health administration. A splash of colour amidst faded black and white photographs reminds the reader that not all that is modern is new. To read history is a means of preparing for the future, to learn from past efforts and bring perspective to current endeavours.

General information on the history of health, medical discoveries and illness

For information about the history of health, medical discoveries and illness, consult the following Duke University site: Medicine and Madison Avenue, The National Humanities Center and the John W Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising and Marketing History.